I’m not really into sculpture particularly but there was something about Thomas Blackshear’s Leap of Faith that struck me the first time I saw it in Virginia’s Gift Shop at Knott’s Berry Farm years ago. I kept coming back to it, fascinated with both the detail of the piece itself and the effect it had on me.
The figure is balancing on his toes and it is literally the moment before he raises his wings and leaps into the unknown. What a terrifying thrill! And what a thrilling inspiration!
After months of gazing at it in its case at the store, yearning to take it home as my very own live-in muse of daring and courage, I finally bought it. Probably the most expensive piece of art I’ve ever purchased, even with the Knott’s spouse discount, I will never regret a cent of it. Because the real value of art is the way it makes us feel and Leap of Faith has repaid me tenfold for the inspiration it’s given me over the years.
For a long time, he sat on our mantel but decorating for a recent Christmas season put him in our built-in cabinet, behind glass. I feel a little better with him there, actually, because even though he’s survived several good-sized earthquakes, you just never know. This way, he can’t fall and shatter on the ceramic hearth below. Yeah, I know… It’s somewhat of a dichotomy, but I’m very protective of him 😊 Better safe than sorry.
So, once again, Leap of Faith, with his delicate but strong wings and scarf blowing in the wind, is contributing to the push I needed to make yet another leap of faith in my own life (click for details).
I hope you all have something in your lives, be it people, art or whatever, that gives you inspiration and the strength to take that leap! Feel free to share your inspirations in the comments.
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